To Make A Pumpkin Pie
by Canned.Laughter
Summary: Fruits Basket and Ouran crossover. Oneshot. Honda Tohru, commoner extraordinaire, will show Kaoru that it's possible to take that smashed pumpkin and turn it into something better. That carriages aren't the only things beautiful in life.


**To Make A Pumpkin Pie**

By Fool.on.the.Planet

Crossover: Furuba/Ouran

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**A/N:** Ah...hajimemashite, minna-san. Bella here, otherwise known as Fool.on.the.Planet on good old ff . net. I've been so immersed in writing chapter 6 for my Grasping Saturn story, but I just couldn't help whipping this out this week. And yes, it did take me a week to write this damn thing. Or rather, it took more if you count the time I spent trying to coax the idea out of the recesses of my mind. The tantalizing possibility of a Furuba and Ouran crossover has always been there in the back of my thoughts, knowing that it _was_ indeed plausible...just the logistics kept escaping me. Until one day while riding the bus, I was struck dumb with the simplicity of it all. So...here it is!

Being as I've never written in the Furuba or Ouran fandom before, forgive me for any inconsistencies. I try to stay as in-character as possible, but it's really hard with the Ouran characters seeing as Haruhi is like water. One minute I think I've got a handle on her, the next she slips through my fingers. The Hiitachin twins are even worse, they've bottled up their thoughts for so long that I'm only just starting to get inside their heads! Part of this fic was a character study on my part, because the twins fascinate me. Plus, I believe that a little bit of Tohru is good for anyone. She's just an angel like that.

And obviously the twins fascinate everyone else as well...considering the amount of twin fiction on here. Eheheh. But _unlike_ a lot of the twin fiction on here, To Make A Pumpkin Pie is not twincest. Not that I don't abide by that kind of fanservice, I just don't believe that the canon is meant to have actual twincest in the series. Because really, it was _Tamaki_ who had suggested the idea of brotherly love to the Hiitachins in the first place. It's not like they had grown up romantically. I don't believe that they have sexual feelings for one another. They do love each other, yes, and that love is probably more powerful than a lot of the love in the Ouran series right now. However it's the type of love that isn't defined by romanticism or sex. Get my drift?

Anyways. I won't ramble anymore here about my beliefs and disbeliefs concerning Ouran. This is a fairly short (by my standards) piece I whipped out...so I apologize again for errors in flow or grammar. I've checked and double-checked, but sometimes the most obvious mistakes don't hit you till after you've done the deed and published the damn thing. I hope the flow for the most part works well for everyone, it was hard doing the beginning because so much was happening all in one scene and I didn't want to break it down any more than I had.

I hope you all enjoy this piece of mine and I'd really appreciate reviews! It's not like I'm fishing for compliments, but I've spent a ton of time on this that I'd like at least a little bit of compensation, knowing that someone out there enjoyed the fruits of my labor. A Japanese dictionary is at the end of this story for your reading benefit.

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**Scene 1 – The Road**

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"Hurry up! Hurry up! Haruhi, you're too slow!"

Two lively figures moved briskly through the crowds of a busy Sunday morning street, their tall, lean frames mimicking one another's movements as if they were simply copies of each other. Commoners this way and that, it was all they could do to ignore the poor fashion choices of the wealth-deprived citizens going about their day window shopping in the bright daylight: families out for a mid-day stroll, couples leaning together as they conspired against the rest of the world, gaggles of teenage girls turning their heads to stare in awe at the impeccably-dressed twins, making their way through the hustle and bustle. The Hiitachins were an impatient group of people, Hikaru and Kaoru being no different from their mother. They simultaneously flicked rich auburn hair from their eyes and looked back to another, shorter figure, smirking with faces made for Cheshire cat grins. It was bad enough that they had to wander about the sidewalk like mere peasants just to get to their mother's workplace, but they didn't appreciate being dragged down by an unwilling heroine as well.

Said unwilling heroine was making her own way through a pack of adolescents, excusing herself and clutching at her purse with a frown on her face. She managed to catch up to her companions and let them know her disapproval.

"Mou...Hikaru, Kaoru, what's the point of bringing me along? I wanted to spend today _studying_." The pout on her lips were off-set by rich chocolate brown eyes, short mud-colored hair pinned back with a hairclip. Her father had forced her into another one of his outfits today: a rose-hued sundress made of material so light the short sleeves floated around Haruhi's slim shoulders. The sun glinted against a silver necklace plunging into her neckline, a single rose blooming from the center of the chain as Haruhi impatiently brushed her long bangs away from her eyes.

"Kawaii! Kawaii Haruhi! Simplicity at its best!" For the tenth time that morning, the Hiitachin twins signaled their approval of Ranka's wardrobe choices with two enthusiastic thumbs up. When Haruhi continued to glare at them, they settled down enough to drape their arms over her shoulders as if pulling her into their dastardly plans. Their voices chimed in harmony, Hikaru's breath tickling her ear and Kaoru poking her with his finger.

"Kaasan wants to meet you. She's not as busy on Sundays. Why do you need to study on a weekend anyways? That's _boring_." Their tone spoke of arrogance and impertinence. Before Haruhi could protest any further, Hikaru and Kaoru dragged her down the street once more, sandwiching the scholarship student between them and linking their arms with hers. They continued on past several shops before reaching a massive building decked in a highly artful sign spanning the top of the structure. The enormity of the place left Haruhi baffled as she stopped her fast pace to stare high, high, high into the spotlessly gleaming windows and modern roof.

"This is your Okaasan's office? Why does she need all that room to design clothes?" The skepticism was evident in Haruhi's cocked eyebrow and slow voice, feeling herself grow faint at trying to see the end of the building past the glaring sun.

Hikaru urged her on, pushing her through the revolving door while Kaoru lagged behind them. "This is only the main building, Kaasan's got several. C'mon, c'mon." Passing the secretary along the way, both Hikaru and Kaoru acknowledged the young woman behind the desk with dismissive waves as she welcomed them with a "Good morning Hikaru-sama, Kaoru-sama! You're mother is in the first floor meeting room 54A."

They practically ran through the hallways, the twins with their abundance of energy and Haruhi being dragged with their fingers clutching her wrists. She bowed to the people they passed and shoved about, crying a hurried "Sumimasen!" when a man's stack of folders were knocked out of his hands. Haruhi didn't even try to keep track of where they were going, assuming that she'd just have to rely on either Hikaru or Kaoru in order to get out of the maze. The inside of the building was decorated just as lavishly as the outside, with plush blue carpeting and art lining the walls interspersed between polished cherry wood doors. The heroine of the host club managed to snatch a peek into several of the rooms filled with fabrics and sketches tacked to bulletin boards before being whisked away down another corner. It wasn't for another minute before they finally halted at the end of an anonymous walkway, the dead end leading to a single door.

"Kaasan! We're here!" Hikaru pushed the door open and pulled Haruhi in with him, Kaoru silently following behind with a smile on his face.

The trio had entered a large, spacious area with windows running along the entirety of one wall. A long table of mahogany centered the room with three good-sized crystal chandeliers hanging from a high ceiling. A woman with the same bright hair and smile as her sons stood at the far end of the meeting room, looking out at the garden the windows showed with a strange man by her side. When the twins burst through the door, she turned to reveal vivid amber eyes and a wide grin on her red lips.

"Hikaru, Kaoru! I was wondering when you were going to show up. Oh, and you've brought Haruhi with you! Wonderful!"

Kaoru looked at the man beside their mother curiously, "Are you busy right now?"

Their mother examined Haruhi's appearance critically, tapping her chin. "Adequate. The fabric looks to be a bit crude, but that's to be expected for the low budget, I suppose." The female head of the Hiitachin industries was dress impeccably herself, in a tailored suit designed for business and made out of a soft deer brown fabric. A caramel-colored undershirt of silk peeked out from the jacket and a classy set of pearls complemented the neutral tones of her outfit. She turned her gaze back to her sons and gestured to her companion. "Boys, this is Ayame-san, from the Sohma clan. You remember that we were going to be working with each other on a young male fashion line for the fall...?"

Hikaru and Kaoru looked at one another, before nodding. Haruhi took this time to examine the man in slight bewilderment.

To put it mildly, Ayame-san, if possible, was more flamboyant than either of the Hiitachin twins or their mother. He looked at the three teenagers with a smile on his face, though that smile was oozing with more confidence than Haruhi had seen even in Tamaki-senpai. Ayame-san's deep silver hair ran long and straight down his back, his golden eyes gleaming with secrets. The man carried himself with the grace and dignity of royalty, striking a pose much like a certain half-Japanese, half-French senpai Haruhi knew. His figure was adorned in a traditional Chinese outfit, the silk costing more than Haruhi's father made in several years. A snake ran it way from the length of his right arm up to his shoulder and down his chest, embroidered in emerald green with hints of gold thread. He cut a wildly lavish figure, as he bowed with flourish to the Hiitachin twins, then to Haruhi.

"It is wonderful that we, as creatures of beauty and intellect, should meet on a spectacular day as today is." Ayame-san's arm went out in front of him as he bowed, like a medieval king. Though he didn't yell or shout, his words were pronounced and mighty as if he were giving intense declarations of war or love. "My fondest wish is to express my delight in working with your mother to create wonder and awe amongst the world!"

Taken aback, Haruhi gave a sideways glance to the twins to see how they reacted, and caught Hikaru's eye. He was smirking, obviously amused by the antics of the older man. However the twins bit their tongue to stop themselves from saying anything mocking, as their mother would certainly not have approved. Not only that, but it wouldn't be wise to incur the wrath of the Sohma clan.

Haruhi had heard of the Sohma clan through chatting with her rich classmates, the family spanning generations and being one of the largest and most influential in Japan. They were divided into a hierarchy, where the inner circle of family members didn't even bother proving their importance by attending Ouran. Only a few of the children from the outside ring of the clan were enrolled at the school for wealth and lineage, and even then they were all in either class A or B in their respective grades. The Sohma clan as a whole were known for their privacy, their businesses wide and varied and their power on par with say, the Ootori family.

Looking at the way Ayame-san carried himself, Haruhi could believe the rumors. She watched curiously as he turned to converse with his co-worker. Hikaru and Kaoru's mother, after laughing at something Ayame-san said, turned back towards the three teens.

"I'm sorry, we still have a few more things to discuss, but I'll be with you soon. In the meantime, could you possibly wait for me in the garden?" She gestured towards the window. "Ayame-san has brought his younger brother and his friend with him, if you could be a kind host and see if they'd like anything for lunch, I'd appreciate it."

"Ah," Ayame held up a hand, smiling in his kingly manner. "I would prefer to bring Yuki inside for a moment. He has lovingly agreed, being the wonderful and caring otouto that he is, to model for us a few of the designs I have humbly laid out as ideas for our line." He pointed out to the garden again, where this time Haruhi noticed two figures sitting on a bench gazing out at the pond. "He is that vibrant youth whose looks we share given our common birth parents. Honor me by calling him to my side."

The twins' mother nodded in agreement. "Yes, that sounds good. Would you mind Hikaru, Kaoru?"

Haruhi watched as the twins looked at each other with that unreadable expression of theirs. She was a little worried about what they'd say to Ayame-san, as it would be so easy for them to judge the egotistical Sohma just as they did the rest of the world. However, they held their remarks back and nodded again in agreement, dragging Haruhi to the door leading them from the meeting room outside into the garden.

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**Scene 2 – The Family**

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"Waa, look at all the fish! It's wonderful Yuki-kun, ne?" A young woman with medium-length chestnut-brown hair smiled joyfully at the sight of several fish swimming together in the small pond, her hands clapped together and her cheeks flushed prettily in pink. Honda Tohru appreciated everything life had to offer, even the picture of a small garden with a stone path and several trees. Her head cocked to her side as she looked up at her companion. "Do you like it here, Yuki-kun?"

Sohma Yuki smiled, his dark eyes glinting in the sun. It was a beautiful day in early September, still warm before the cold started setting in. This year he had planted pumpkins in his garden, and he had been excited to look in on them this weekend. To be honest, he wasn't exactly thrilled to be here, helping his brother out, but the sunny look on Tohru's face made it hard to say no.

"Unn, it's very peaceful. How about you, do you like it, Honda-san?"

"Hai! It's beautiful out here!"

The cheer in Tohru's reply was so contagious that Yuki just had to chuckle. This expedition had been planned for a few days, after Ayame had burst into Shigure's home just this past week lamenting the lack of "brotherly bonding" he and Yuki had been having recently. Yuki hadn't really minded, enjoying the relative peace away from the bursting-with-energy older brother he had. He had been trying, to understand Ayame better, and to meet halfway as Tohru was always putting it. It was just hard. Their world views were so incredibly different. So when he had somehow been recruited as a model for Ayame's new project with the Hiitachin fashion head, he just had to sigh in exasperation. At least Tohru was enjoying herself, also having been recruited on this expedition, though for no real purpose. Yuki just assumed that his brother liked ordering others about, which included dragging people who didn't need to be dragged into his schemes. Just as whenever Ayame tried to get Yuki to visit his shop again, he'd always invite Tohru as well.

The pair sat in a comfortable silence, enjoying the relaxing atmosphere cut off from the rest of the world. Ayame had motioned them out the door while he conducted some business with the head of the Hiitachin fashion corporation first. They had been out there for a little while when the quiet was broken by more figures bursting out the door.

Yuki looked up, startled when two voices began to simultaneously snicker, as if the minds of the speakers were connected intimately. He turned hooded eyelids towards two young men with light auburn hair, their amber eyes watering and their hands clutching their stomachs, both laughing uproariously.

"WAHAHAHAHAHA! Did you see? Did you see? His hands! His voice! His outfit!"

One of them stood up, his hand still clutching at his side, wiping away tears. "Did you notice, Kaoru, he acted just like-"

The other one, presumably "Kaoru", nodded his head vigorously. "Unn! Unn! Just like!"

The two looked at each other and shouted out "TONO!" at the same time, before bursting into another fit of laughter.

Yuki sweatdropped as the two laughed and laughed, like hyenas. He turned to gauge Tohru's reaction, and saw that the girl had on her expression of confusion. Typical of Honda-san. Cocking her head, Tohru's face was lit up in a small smile as if joining in on their pleasure even if she didn't understand what was so amusing.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, it's rude to laugh at people like that!" Another voice, this one exasperated, cut in through the monkey howls of the two boys. Yuki turned in his seat again to see another, shorter person walking up behind the two and pushing through them. It was a girl this time, her movements screaming practicality and reason. She only sighed wearily when they ignored her chidings and instead draped their much taller frames over her shoulders as if playing with a favorite doll of theirs. They ruffled her short brown hair and tugged at her red dress, obviously still caught up in their mirth.

The one with the deeper voice managed to choke out "Didn't you see, Haruhi? He was exactly like Tono! This is what Tono'll be like ten years from now!" This male was "Hikaru", Yuki determined, as he had already labeled the young man with the softer voice to be "Kaoru". Hikaru's actions were coarser, the way he held on to the girl named "Haruhi" more possessive, whereas Kaoru simply leaned on Haruhi's frame lightly.

The girl named Haruhi sighed impatiently. "He was not. At least he carried himself with dignity. Tamaki-senpai gets too emotional." Wriggling out of the boys' grasps, Haruhi noticed Yuki and Tohru staring at her. "Oh, ano..." She stared directly at Yuki, and he blinked in surprise at her forwardness. "Would you happen to be Ayame-san's younger brother?"

Ever polite, Yuki decided to stand up and bow slightly to the newcomers. "Hai, Ayame is my brother. I am Sohma Yuki, it is a pleasure to meet you."

When Yuki straightened, he felt Tohru stand up hurriedly and place herself next to him. He smiled inwardly at her cheerful greeting as she too bowed in her eager-to-please and lighthearted manner.

"I'm Honda Tohru! It is very nice to meet you! Please, regard me kindly."

Yuki watched as the girl paused for a split second, obviously taken aback by Tohru's overly-polite way of speaking. It's what made Honda-san so endearing. Getting over the oddity, the girl smiled in a mild-mannered way, and bowed as well. "Fujioka Haruhi, it is also nice to meet you." She straightened and gestured to her two companions. "This is Hiitachin Hikaru, and Kaoru. Their mother is the one working with your brother, Sohma-san."

"Ah!" Tohru's eyes lit up, her cheeks flushing. "Are you brothers as well, Hikaru-san, Kaoru-san? You look so alike!"

Yuki watched the two Hiitachin boys give both him and Tohru a once over, not liking the calculating stares they had on their faces. Their eyes spoke of wealth and power, of superiority complexes. Yuki had spent enough time within his family to know that look. It was one he hated.

Hikaru finally decided to honor Tohru with an answer. He shrugged; his reply flippant. "Twins. You're surname is 'Honda', isn't it? Are you a servant?" His head tilted upwards, looking down upon Tohru, tone condescending. As if that playful side he was showing only moments before simply shut off, like a light. Instead, he leaned against Haruhi and smiled long and slow, probing Tohru with his gaze.

"Eh?" Even if Yuki hadn't been looking at Tohru, he could feel her eyes grow wide in surprise, as it always did when she wasn't expecting a certain comment. "Oh! That is-ano..."

"She is not." He felt his dislike, at least for Hikaru, growing. "She is a family friend, and it would be appreciated that you do not disrespect her in such a manner as to treat her as anything lower than that." Yuki sensed his posture straightening to new heights, his eyes growing cold and his tone frigid. He knew that this happened whenever he grew angry, that expression that so many girls loved in his high school. It was demanding, one of strong will, or "princely", as the Prince Yuki fanclub had put it.

Hikaru didn't reply to his angry remark. Yuki sensed the boy analyzing him with another indifferent stare. Kaoru looked between his twin brother and Yuki, cocking his head. His tone was gentler as he addressed a befuddled Tohru, though Yuki felt himself grow more irritated as he heard what the other twin had to say.

"I haven't heard of the name 'Honda' before...you must be a _commoner_." The way his tongue rolled around that label made it seem as if Tohru were nothing but dirt.

"Ehhhh?"

Yuki stepped forward, frowning fiercely, wanting to put these two pompous young men in their place. However, Haruhi beat him to the punch, glaring equally fiercely with disapproval. "Hikaru! Kaoru! Stop being so discriminating." He wasn't sure, but Yuki could've sworn he heard the girl mutter "Rich bastards..." underneath her breath. Her apologetic smile towards Tohru and himself forced Yuki to relax, deciding he didn't mind this level-headed young woman. Haruhi pushed the two protesting twins away and bowed.

"Gomen ne. Their world is...small, to say the least." Her warm chocolate eyes glimmered with unspoken threats at the Hiitachin twins, who only shrugged and turned away from the group, pretending not to care. Haruhi shook her head in resignation. Her voice took on a weary tone as she turned back to Yuki. "Sohma-san, your brother would like you to come inside and help him out."

Ah yes, the reason why he had been dragged to this little gathering in the first place. Looking to the windows leading into the meeting room, Yuki felt himself sweatdrop when he noticed Ayame waving exuberantly from his place inside. The Hiitachin woman looked nothing if amused, causing more embarrassment for the recluse mouse. His shoulders dropped and he copied Haruhi's resigned sigh. He inclined his head apologetically towards Tohru.

"Gomen nasai, Honda-san. Looks like I'll be leaving you on your own for a little while..."

"Iie!" Tohru smiled cheerily and waved the apology off with one hand. "Have fun Yuki-kun, Ayame-san's designs are beautiful. I'm sure you'll look amazing!"

'That's not really what I was worried about..." Yuki gave a cold stare in the direction of the twins who had wandered a few feet away and were skipping stones on the pond. His expression turned concerned as he addressed Tohru. "Are you sure you'll be alright here by yourself? We can leave if you're not comfortable..."

Haruhi stepped forward, raising a hand in assurance. "Don't worry, Sohma-san. I'll make sure she's not bothered." She gestured towards the trees blowing in the spring breeze, and the mossy stones surrounding the water. "We'll be just fine out here. I can handle the twins."

There was nothing else for it, Yuki nodded and walked down the pathway back to the meeting room. He didn't intend to appear rude to Haruhi, as she was at least tolerable; however he did let his voice fill with command directed at the twins, who were off in their own world and pretending they didn't care about what was going on.

"See that you do."

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**Scene 3 – The Carriage**

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Kaoru watched as Hikaru picked up another pebble and skipped it on the pond. It was a small surface, but the stone hopped a few times before sinking on the other side. The water was a murky green, rippling with a bright white spot reflecting the sun above. Hikaru's name brand canvas shoes scuffed at a patch of dirt and grass as they watched the ripples die away silently. Kaoru broke the calm by nudging his brother with his elbow and smiling.

"Ne, ne...did you see her face when you called her a servant? That was pretty funny, wasn't it?"

Hikaru's ear tips had turned a very slight shade of pink, indicating he was irritated. He only grunted in reply. "Hnn. I guess."

Kaoru was the younger twin, but he knew that he was also the more mature one of the pair. He could guess at what was troubling Hikaru, giving his brother a sidelong glance.

Tono's carriage, his little host club family bubble created in attempts to keep their relationships unchanging, it was slowly turning into a pumpkin. A pumpkin that would regrettably be smashed one day. That's what happens when you try to transform yourself, to break from the static pattern.

Hikaru was defying the carriage, Kaoru could tell. Maybe on a more subtle note, he was as well, however he could see the difference in his older twin better. The lingering glances towards their solitary female host member, the crimson hue that spread over Hikaru's cheeks when he thought no one was watching, the way his fingers clutched at her possessively...all symptoms that Kaoru had predicted but still feared in coming. It was a theory that he hadn't wanted to prove true, but unfortunately it was something they would have to deal with eventually. And when that happened, Kaoru wasn't exactly sure what his place in the newly smashed pumpkin would be.

He knew, deep down, that he must be changing as well, growing older and wiser, but he didn't have the catalyst that was Haruhi to push him further down the rabbit hole. Haruhi was fun to talk to, fun to play with, fun to be around, but she wasn't the change for him as she was for Hikaru. Or Tono. Or even the other host club members (Kaoru had a strong suspicion that his brother and Tono weren't the only ones with hidden feelings for their oblivious commoner). Kaoru had begun to fear the possibility of being left behind with nothing but pumpkin puree to keep him company.

It wasn't as if...he loved Hikaru romantically. It had been Tono's idea initially, that they play off the fact that they're brothers, twins even, and use that to draw in the fans. It wasn't sexual, the thing that had blossomed between him and Hikaru. What it was; was something more powerful than Kaoru cared to admit. You didn't live, breathe, _feel_ with another person all your life without bonding with them in a way that you can't bond with others. He was scared to see what the world would be like without Hikaru constantly at his side.

And perhaps...that was the one immature part of him still. Wanting to keep Hikaru to himself, wanting things to be the way they had always been. But that's why they had inherently been drawn to the host club, wasn't it? For a chance to mature, a chance to grow into something else? Something better? A chance to force their way out of the static that was threatening to make them an oddity of the past? At least, Kaoru acknowledged that fact. And he was pretty sure that Hikaru did as well, even if the elder only did so subconsciously. That was what was so ironic about Tono's princely carriage. They joined the club in secret hope of making something _different_, but everyone grasped at the idea of a host club family so tightly, desperately trying to keep things the _same_.

And it was obvious, at least to Kaoru; why Hikaru was sulking over Haruhi's reprimands. Like a petulant child, the elder twin didn't want to admit to himself that Haruhi's chide affected him. Hikaru had definitely been affected, more so than he probably cared to admit to himself. Because he had _changed_, just as the younger twin knew he would. Kaoru had followed him as he ambled over and began picking up stones, examining them for smoothness. Hikaru didn't say much about what just happened, but he didn't have to.

Glancing backwards, Kaoru saw that the younger Sohma was now heading back towards their mother's building. Yuki caught his eye, and Kaoru was a little amused to see the hostile stare those dark eyes were giving him. He had been a little surprised at the fine, delicate features of Ayame-san's younger brother, but even more shocking was how Yuki managed to turn such a feminine face into such a wall of ice when he wanted to. Kaoru was just a little impressed by the way the young Sohma could pull a royal air towards him like donning a cloak.

"Tch." That was Hikaru, the elder also having seen Yuki's look of dislike. "Like we care."

Except now Haruhi was walking over to them, a purposeful look set in her eyes. Of course the only female, and a commoner at that, would be the one to set things straight amongst a group of fanciful, frivolous boys. Kaoru grinned inwardly at her march like a wife honing in on her errant husband. He dreaded the revolution Haruhi brought with her, but that didn't mean he didn't take some small pleasure in watching how the other members were so cowed by a slip of a girl. Himself included, he was forced to admit. Haruhi was _scary_ when angry. She halted right in front of the twins, and Kaoru smiled innocently for her benefit. The brilliant sun lit up behind her, making her features almost invisible, so much so that Kaoru had to squint to see her lips moving.

"You guys didn't have to say those things, I'm sure you've at least been taught _some_ manners...even if you're talking to a _commoner_." Kaoru mused that Haruhi's lips could use some rosy pink lip gloss to set off her necklace while she continued her lecture. "Honda-san will be staying here with us while Sohma-san goes to help out his brother. I trust you can find it in yourselves to act decent around her? And I mean that in all sense of the phrase." She cocked an eyebrow, making sure they understood what she meant. Apparently they couldn't pull the incest act for the Honda girl, then.

Kaoru shrugged, not saying anything. He looked at Hikaru, who scoffed and turned his head dismissively. "Whatever."

"_Hikaru_..." Haruhi put her hands on her hips and frowned. But after a minute of staring at Hikaru, and Hikaru ignoring her, she sighed. "Fine. See if I let you visit my house ever again."

She turned away to go back to the Honda girl, who was standing in the same spot still with her hands clasped nervously in front of her, when Hikaru burst out protesting.

"You can't do that!" He sounded irritated, which was at least better than the indifference he was trying to hide under before. He took a step forward, his fists clutched. The dark green sleeveless tunic he wore fluttered in the breeze, Hikaru's eyebrows furrowing in annoyance.

Kaoru stood back and watched, at first, apprehensive. Then a smile grew on his face when he realized Haruhi had turned back to them, grinning.

"Gotcha. Serves you right, acting like a two year-old." She beckoned the Honda girl over with a waving hand as Hikaru stared at her incredulously.

And it was moments like these that Kaoru knew when the carriage was slowly turning orange and organic. Because his twin gawked disbelievingly at their one female friend for a minute while Tohru walked hesitantly over. Hikaru's lips twitched. A smile bloomed on his face, his gaze distant as he stared at Haruhi's back. Those moments, where Kaoru understood what it meant to smell pumpkin spice in the air.

"A-Ano...I'm truly sorry for the trouble I've caused. Please regard me kindly still."

Tohru bowed deeply once she reached Haruhi, her long chestnut brown bangs falling over her face like a waterfall. Kaoru took this time to examine the commoner more closely, not caring enough the last time before Hikaru had pulled him away.

She was a bland sort of girl, with average features and a dim but merry smile adorning her lips. She was shorter than Haruhi, petite and soft where Haruhi was slim and graceful. A simple shirt and skirt hugged Tohru's frame, a bow tying the top half of her hair back from clear, peachy skin. If Kaoru had to describe her with one word, it'd be "wholesome". Or maybe "pure". But pure people weren't any fun; he just felt guilty trying to tease them.

Neither Hikaru or Kaoru said anything at first. They hadn't had any experience dealing with commoners other than Haruhi, and even then they got to know her through unusual circumstances. The world of the middle and lower classes were completely alien to the twins who came from a privileged family. What were you supposed to do when they were humbly apologizing to you, so different from the lavish apologies the rich would send to each other by way of gifts and bribes?

Then, what astonished Kaoru the most; was the fact that Tohru seemed to sense this hesitance. She smiled brightly and looked between the two, brushing aside the fact that neither of them had even acknowledged her request for forgiveness.

"Ano, which one is Hikaru-san, and which one is Kaoru-san? You look the same!"

Familiar territory at last. Kaoru slunk up to Tohru and grasped her hand, bowing over the slim digits and lightly brushing his lips across her knuckles. He could hear her stutter, her blush so bright that the red almost outshone the sun. He let his voice drop to a mere whisper of seduction.

"Hikaru, at your service, Honda-hime."

Hikaru followed his brother's lead and took Tohru's other hand, kissing it before staring directly into the blushing maid's eyes. "And Kaoru. We apologize for our rude behavior earlier."

"I-Iie...it was no trouble...at all...!"

Haruhi's flat voice cut in through their antics. "Stop trying to confuse the poor girl."

They were back. Like clockwork, their voices became one. "What do you mean, Haruhi?"

Haruhi gave them one of her looks, and turned to Tohru. "Don't listen to them, Honda-san." She pointed to Kaoru. "That one's really Kaoru. The other one is Hikaru. They just like pulling tricks on people."

"Ehhhh? Honto?" As quickly as it came, Tohru's blush faded and she put a hand to her cheek in bewilderment. Her face lit up in a wide smile. "I couldn't even tell! Sugoi, desu ne!"

"Hai, hai." Haruhi lifted up a finger, eager to stop the twins from no doubt getting into more mischief. "Jaa, are you hungry by any chance, Honda-san? It's lunchtime."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly impose..."

The twins piped up. "It's no trouble. It'd barely cost us a thing." They had identical looks of the bored rich on their faces, now that Haruhi stole their entertainment away from them.

"Honto desu ka?" Tohru cocked her head and smiled. "Arigatou gozaimasu! I am getting a little hungry..." She blushed in embarrassment, as if terribly afraid of being a burden on anyone. Eyes the color of polished mahogany shone with good intentions. Although Kaoru was the sensitive twin, even he couldn't help but wonder whether or not her vapidity was an act or if it was genuine.

"Iie, iie, don't worry about it." Haruhi adjusted her dress and brushed at a gnat that was circling the air. "I'll go get us something to eat."

Tohru, Kaoru, and Hikaru all watched her walk a few feet before the blunt female host stopped suddenly and paused where she was standing, looking up in thought. Kaoru was about to call out an inquiry when Haruhi turned around, a slight blush on her face. She pouted, as she normally did when she didn't want to admit she had made a blunder.

"Eeto...I don't know where to get food...exactly."

Hikaru cocked an eyebrow, planting one hand on his hip. "_Exactly?_"

"Okay," her blush deepened. "I don't know where to get food...at all." Her own brown eyes, a richer and darker color than Tohru's, averted themselves to the ground in rebellion against their mockery.

She was so cute! Kaoru knew it, and thus both he and Hikaru began the traditional "Kawaii Haruhi!" chant as they ran up to her and engulfed her in a twin sandwich. Kaoru chuckled into Haruhi's hair, getting a big whiff of citrus shampoo that seemed so befitting of the small girl with a mind of her own. They let go just as Haruhi was about to push them off in impatience, having timed this perfectly after thousands of attempts at keeping her all to themselves. As if wanting to vent her frustration out on them even after they had stepped away, Haruhi whacked their arms with light slaps on the shoulder. She was about to take off again when a light tinkling laughter met the three Ouran students' ears.

"Heeheehee! Gomen, gomen nasai, I don't mean to laugh-" Tohru's hand was on her mouth, her voice light as if it were simply vocalized air. Her cheeks flushed, making her face glow. "-but you must all be so close, ne? That's so incredible!"

Haruhi shook her head, still exasperated. "Not really. They just like harassing me."

"Iie, iie!." Tohru was adamant, her hair flying back with the breeze. "There was so much love just now! Ah!" She blushed, realizing her forwardness. "I was being rude. Gomen!"

Kaoru looked at Haruhi, and then at Hikaru. All three of them blinked. Love? Incredible? This girl certainly was a strange one, she seemed so easy to please, eager to smile instead of frowning. Kaoru got the distinct feeling of trying to examine warmth. It wasn't something tangible, simply a spot that was born in his chest and grew from the inside out.

"E-Eeto..." Haruhi looked dumbfounded, for once, lacking her voice for a split second. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Thank you, I think. Hikaru, come with me to get food, will you?"

For once, the older twin didn't have a wisecrack shooting out of his mouth. He followed the scholarship girl down the path and into the Hiitachin building with nary a word towards either Kaoru or Tohru. It was only as they were reaching the door that Kaoru could see Hikaru regaining his humor and poking Haruhi incessantly, the girl batting at his hands with impatience.

All of a sudden, Kaoru was left alone with the oddity of a girl. And he wasn't sure what to do.

* * *

**Scene 4 – The Pumpkin**

* * *

A few minutes of awkward silence had passed since his brother and Haruhi had left. When Kaoru didn't say anything to alleviate the tension, Tohru's face scrunched up in embarrassment and she put her hands to her mouth in horror.

"Ano...have I offended you...Kaoru-san? I'm so, so sorry if I have. I'm such a horrible person, laughing and hurting your feelings. I didn't mean anything by it, I'm truly sorry!"

Kaoru was jolted out of his thoughts at Tohru's dismayed outburst, and he realized he hadn't taken the initiative to be a good host for Tohru But he was still a little unsure of who exactly this girl was, to have laughed so freely and to have made such odd comments.

But still...he was a member of the popular host club at Ouran. Not only that, but he _had_ been brought up with extensive lessons in manners and etiquette (not that Haruhi would have known, as the twins disregarded all forms of manners when she or any of the other host club members were concerned) that should have forced him to make Tohru feel as comfortable as possible, commoner or no. Though at school they rarely showed this courteous side, neither Hikaru nor himself caring when they had each other, their mother had made it clear that they were to treat customers and company associates with respect. It had gotten easier and easier, over their course of being at the host club, to not rebel against this authority. And maybe...it was also a little bit of Haruhi's doing that tamed their innate sense of mischief and total disregard for others' feelings. Haruhi, who held such high regard for commoner things such as friendship, kindness, and understanding. Virtues that rich people rarely found useful in the world of business and politics.

So Kaoru took the time to smile and shake his head easily. "Iie, you haven't offended me, Honda-san. I was just thinking, that's all. Would you like to sit down?" He held out a gentle hand towards the bench that Tohru and Yuki had vacated only moments before.

Perhaps it was the heat getting to him, but Kaoru found himself a little out of breath at the brilliant smile Tohru gave him before nodding vigorously. "Unn! That sounds very nice, Kaoru-san! Won't you join me?"

"...Alright."

Thus Kaoru found himself sitting side by side with Tohru, watching as a bird flew down from the bough of the largest tree in the garden. He heard Tohru sigh in contentment, as she clasped her hands in front of her on her lap, letting her face slip into a vacant look of a daydream.

"Kirei..." Her pleasant voice was distant as she watched the wind tease ripples out of the water in a haze.

"Nan desu ka?"

That ever-present smile didn't leave Tohru's face as she looked up at Kaoru. "All of it. Thank you for your kindness. I am grateful to you, Kaoru-san. As well as Fujioka-san, and Hikaru-san. Ano-" Her eyes lit up in possibility. "Are they a couple? They look so happy together!" She leaned forward eagerly, a young girl enthralled by the hopes of romance.

"Eh..." Kaoru scooted back, a little surprised by the close proximity between himself and the Honda girl. "Iie. They're not...right now."

"Honto? Demo..." Tohru bit her lip in curiosity, staring at the door that Hikaru and Haruhi had gone into. "Hikaru-san seems so peaceful when he looks at Fujioka-san."

"You've only just met them, how can you tell?"

Tohru's eyes glimmered as she grinned. "Gentle eyes don't lie, Kaoru-san!"

Kaoru stared at Tohru, with her beaming face and wishful expression. As if her mind were nothing more than a whimsical fantasy, the best of a person brought out in one small, anonymous girl. In less than half an hour, she had discovered what most people at school still didn't understand. Kaoru wondered whether or not that meant they were closer to the smashed pumpkin than he had realized. A melancholy feeling washed over him, and he felt his shoulders slump, away from the watchful eyes of his protective twin and Haruhi's surprisingly hawk-like gaze.

"Sou desu ka..." His voice was soft in contemplation. "...You're right in that Hikaru likes Haruhi, if that's what you noticed. Possibly love...I wouldn't know."

"But they are not together?" Tohru cocked her head. "Doushite?"

He mumbled, shifting on the hard bench. The sun warmed his back as did Tohru's inquisitive stare. "The carriage..."

"Nani?"

"Eh...iie...it's nothing." Kaoru tried to wave off his sadness with a vigorous hand. However, Tohru simply watched him with that bewildered expression on her face, and he just couldn't help but want to tell her things that he didn't even dare tell Hikaru. Was it the idea that a stranger couldn't affect and judge him as easily as a loved one could? Or was it simply because her entire body screamed welcome and comfort?

"Gomen ne...did I make you sad, Kaoru-san? I seem to have a bad habit of doing that..."

"Oh, no. You didn't make me sad." Kaoru smiled for her benefit to relieve her guilt. "It's just that...Hikaru is the only person I've ever known my entire life. The kind of knowing that makes you..." He tried to find the right word. "..._one_ with another."

"Ara? I'm not sure I understand..."

Kaoru paused in thought, not sure of how to go about it. "Honda-san, have you...ever cared for someone so much...loved someone so much...that it felt as if you were born for that person?"

Tohru's vision cleared and brightened considerably. "Hai! Hai! My mother was a wonderful person!"

"Your...mother?" Kaoru shook his head, not understand but not wanting to go off on a tangent. "Yes, I suppose like a mother, if you want. Hikaru...is like that for me. We have been there for each other, no other friends, not even acquaintances, since birth."

And with that, he spilled out the story of their joining the host club. How he hadn't known what he was getting into when they opened the door to the 3rd Music Room together, or how things had spun rapidly out of control the minute Haruhi had knocked over that vase. How Tamaki was their tono and their otousan and how Haruhi was supposed to be the daughter and the twins were the brothers and Kyouya was the okaasan and Hunny-senpai and Mori-senpai were neighbors. How their carriage had been riding so very smoothly up till this point, and how Tamaki kept them together like a crazy sort of glue that refused to transform their carriage into that dreaded pumpkin. How he just didn't know what to do when the time came that the fairy tale ended, just like that. How everyone gravitated towards a newer, brighter future and how Hikaru just wouldn't be there anymore.

The entire time, Tohru watched Kaoru with a sympathetic stare. Encouraging, yet not once halting his outpour of words with an interruption of her own. When he was done, throat dry from all those pent up emotions threaded into dialogue, she gave him another one of her gentle smiles. One that told him that she accepted his fright and his uncertainty and his insecurity. He didn't look at her after that, embarrassed by the fact that he just showed more vulnerability to a complete stranger than he had to even his parents.

"Sorry," he muttered, "You didn't have to listen to all that. You could've stopped me."

With that one self-conscious utterance, Tohru was up in his face, staring at him with passion in her eyes.

"Iie! I was happy to listen to your troubles! You're so strong, Kaoru-san, to have held that burden in your chest for all this time!"

"Huh?"

And then Tohru's expression became tender, her gaze turning distant as if looking into a different world. Kaoru imagined that she was seeing something there that he couldn't.

"My mother...used to say that acknowledging the uncertainty of the future was the best thing we can learn in life. Because it reminds us that we are not ruled by fate...we are beings who can decide our own futures. And that means that we are not trapped into any future that we don't want to live in. Even if...even if that means being scared, sometimes. When you don't know what will happen to you next."

She stopped for a minute, and Kaoru let those words sink into his skin, flying directly into that warm spot in his chest. He couldn't grasp the heat rising in his breast, but it didn't seem to matter all that much. The pair sat there while he tried to comprehend the magnitude of what she just said. Such simple words...yet strung together to form something altogether...what did it mean? Did he even understand? The situation was even murkier than before. He struggled with those conflicting feelings, knowing that there was some greater message behind that advice yet not being able to catch it.

Some time passed before Tohru suddenly whipped around and stared directly into his eyes, her lips quirked upwards with excitement.

"Pumpkin pie! You can make a pumpkin pie!"

He jerked backwards, her outburst confusing him all over again. "N-Nani?"

"Ah, gomen, gomen. I mean..." Tohru clenched her fists in determination, as if to show her support in his battle. "It's not a smashed pumpkin after all! You can take the remains and make something better out of it, something like a pumpkin pie! I like pumpkin pie, don't you? Westerners invent such fantastic desserts!"

"Eeto..." Kaoru scratched his head, trying to make sense of the girl's keyed up babblings. "You're saying...that the pumpkin being broken is...a good thing?"

"Hai!" Tohru nodded vigorously. Her voice was soft at first. "It's sad that it will become smashed one day. Sometimes things happen and you don't know how to pick up the pieces of your pumpkin or if you even want to. Sometimes all you want to do...is sink further down, in hopes of going somewhere so dark that maybe, just maybe, nothing will affect you." The petite girl grew passionate. "Demo...demo...so many wonderful things can come out of hardship! Kaoru-san, you are such a strong person, I know you can do it! It is a good idea to think about, ne?"

"A-Ah..." The younger Hiitachin nodded slowly, starting to grasp what Tohru was saying. The murky waters cleared up in his mind, and suddenly things began to make sense about the world. It was so _simple_. "Life is uncertain...but that shouldn't stop you from doing the best you can...ne?"

"Hai! Ganbatte kudasai, Kaoru-san!"

She was so enthusiastic, giving him all her support even though they had just barely met. For the first time since meeting the strange yet exuberant girl, he gave her a smile in thanks. "It's good advice, that. Arigatou."

"Hai, hai! Isn't it? My mother was the best!"

"Eh..."

Well, he was really talking about what she had said, about the pumpkin pie. But Tohru was so happy to share her mother's words that Kaoru didn't have the heart to tell her any different.

* * *

**Scene 5 – The Pie**

* * *

Several days passed.

"Haruhi! Haruhi! We have something for you!"

Two identical loud voices burst in through the 3rd Music Room, while the other host club members were preparing to greet their customers for the day. With half an hour to go before they opened their doors, Haruhi was arranging a tea set and going over flashcards while she let the soothing aroma of the tea leaves loosen her mind. The double doors slamming open and the devil twins running up to her caused all that meditation to fly out the window. She groaned inwardly, having reached the peaceful spot in her head where the ridiculous antics of her fellow host club members couldn't reach her. She'd have to start all over again once she finished dealing with these two.

"Nan desu ka? This better be something important."

Hikaru grinned and tousled her carefully styled hair, causing Tamaki to cry in protest as the elder twin flopped his arms around her. Kaoru brought up the rear, and presented the female host with a small white box. Made of simple cardboard and tied with a delicate sheer pink ribbon, it had "To Fujioka-san" written in neat, small characters. Hikaru's breath tickled her ear as Kaoru placed the box silently in Haruhi's open palms.

"A thank you present from the Honda girl, for "being so kind", she says. We got a letter with the boxes; there was one piece for each of us."

"Oh?" Haruhi, curious, untied the ribbon with care and lifted the lid. "Oh..."

Inside was a slice of a pie. Pumpkin, if Haruhi guessed correctly. The scent of spices and sugar overpowered the delicate fragrance of her tea, and she let the smell of autumn fill her lungs. The crust was a golden brown, the pie cut in a perfect triangle. It looked like something sold in a pastry shop.

"She bought this for us?" Haruhi examined the doily underneath the pie. "It must have been expensive..."

"Iie," Kaoru's naturally soft voice chimed in. "She made it herself. Here," Taking out a folded up piece of paper from his pocket, he handed it over for Haruhi to examine. "This note came with the gifts."

On plain white paper, the same neat print that was on Haruhi's box scrawled:

_Hikaru-san, Kaoru-san, Fujioka-san,_

_I wanted to express my gratitude for your thoughtfulness last weekend during my visit to the Hiitachin fashion headquarters. I am eternally grateful for the kindness you showed me! Yuki-kun has been growing pumpkins and he has graciously allowed me the use of one for making this pie. I hope it tastes alright; it's my first time trying to bake one. It just goes to show that even if the carriage is something beautiful, the pumpkin can be just as if not more! Jaa, ganbatte, minna-san. I will try my hardest as well to make a pumpkin pie!_

_With thanks,_

_Honda Tohru_

"Huh." Haruhi turned the sheet over, as if searching for clarification. "It's a nice sentiment...but what did she mean by carriages?" She paused, turning to Hikaru and Kaoru. "Do you guys know?"

While Hikaru shrugged and denied knowing anything, Kaoru looked at the note, as he had been doing all day since they had received the presents. The twins' mother had given it to them in the morning, the pie slices having been delivered to her through Ayame-san. Tohru's last words in her thank you letter caused something to click in his brain, and the not-so-distant memory of her cheerful reply to him that day in the garden was suddenly recalled.

"_Hai, hai! Isn't it? My mother was the best!"_

Oh.

So that's what she meant by "was", was it? The use of past tense, so subtle that Kaoru hadn't even remembered till now. Is that what she meant, by rooting for herself as well as him in her letter? Perhaps Honda Tohru, that ever-optimistic girl, had more demons chasing her than she made known. Was that why the dregs of her smiles were tinged in melancholy?

Hikaru was complaining now, his arms still dangling off of Haruhi's shoulders.

"I don't even like pumpkin pie. It's so sweet and it's got a weird aftertaste. Couldn't she have baked something better?"

"Oh, I don't know," Hikaru and Haruhi both turned to Kaoru, their eyes wide at his quiet objection. A smile ghosted his lips. "I think I might like this one."

* * *

**A/N:** So. Comments? Suggestions for improvement in my writing? Like I said in my beginning author's note, this is my first time delving into either Furuba or Ouran. Mostly I stick to the Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon fandom, straying into Harry Potter and Ranma ½ occasionally. But I hope this was worth the reading time it took you guys.

And again, please review! I'd love detailed reports on what you like, don't like, what worked for you or what didn't...but honestly, even a "Great job!" would suffice.

Maybe I'll see you guys around again some time. You never know.

* * *

**Japanese Dictionary**

Hajimemashite – An initial greeting when you've never met someone before. Meaning literally "it's the first time we meet", and the general meaning of "how do you do?"

Mou – An expression of exasperation. Kind of like our "Aw man" or "Geez".

Kawaii – Cute

Kaasan – A polite version of "Mother" (otherwise known as "Okaasan", except without the "o" prefix as an honorific). I figured the wealthy (as represented in Ouran High School Host Club) would address their parents more formally than say, "Haha" (the informal version of "Mother").

-Sama – Suffix for a person worthy of respect, like a king or lord. In this case, for a boss or the boss' children.

Sumimasen – Excuse me. Or "Sorry!" and "Pardon me!" in this case.

-Senpai – Suffix for an upperclassman at school. Seeing as Tamaki is a year older than Haruhi, she calls him "Tamaki-senpai".

Otouto – Younger brother

Waa – An expression of awe or joy, like "Wow" or "Amazing".

Ne – An expression used to goad agreement, like "Yes?" or "Right?"

Unn – An expression of agreement.

-San – Suffix for someone you respect, whether it be someone you're not familiar with or someone older than you. Not as humble as "-Sama".

Hai – Yes.

Tono – A title for a lord, the title that the twins mockingly use to refer to Tamaki.

Ano – An expression of hesitance, such as "Umm" or "Err".

Hai – Yes, Right.

Gomen – An informal way of saying "Sorry". "Gomen nasai" is more polite. When Haruhi says "Gomen ne", she's adding the ne as a way of goading Yuki's forgiveness.

Iie – No. In this case, Tohru is waving off an apology so the sentiment is along the lines of "don't worry about it."

-Hime – "Hime" meaning "Princess", the host club tends to add the suffix "Hime" to their customers' surnames as a title.

Honto – In this case, "Really? For real?"

Sugoi desu ne – "Sugoi" meaning "Cool" or "Neat", and seeing as how Tohru's so polite, she has to add "desu" (roughly, "it is") to all her phrases. So basically, she's just saying "Cool!"

Jaa – An expression to move on to the next topic or a way of saying "Well", as in "Well, are you hungry?"

Honto desu ka – Pretty much the same thing as "Honto?" except for a little more polite, what with the "desu" and all. "Ka" is simply a question particle.

Arigatou gozaimasu – Thank you.

Kirei – Pretty, beautiful.

Nan desu ka – What? What is it? What is?

Demo – But.

Sou desu ka – Is that right.

Doushite – Why?

Nani – Shorter version of "Nan desu ka". Less formal. Though Tohru normally is very formal, I figure with this conversation flipping back and forth like this Tohru'd probably use "Nani" instead of the longer "Nan desu ka". Here, it's more like an expression of confusion rather than an actual sentence or question.

Ara – Another expression of confusion. As if saying "Huh?"

Otousan – Father. At least, the formal way of saying father. For some reason, I think it slightly ridiculous to write out "Chichi", which is the informal way of saying "Father". I bet they'd call him "Otousan" anyways, seeing as being from rich families they're used to formal titles rather than informal.

Ah – I don't mean a kind of shocked, "Ah" as if he's screaming or anything. I didn't know how to Romanize it, so I suppose "Ah" would be the best I can come up with. It's just like saying "Ah!" as if a lightbulb went off in your head, only not as declarative and more contemplative.

Ganbatte kudasai – Do your best! Keep going strong, soldier! Fight on!

Minna – Everyone.


End file.
